something nixon really begin to. really know their stuff. groups with the good morning stephanie. martin checked with musicians from around the world. groups every week on g.w. . following violent protests on the streets of paris the french government declares a state of economic and social emergency. it was down to boil over at some point this is really dangerous if.

the yellow vests protest against tax increases and demand a greater say in the running of the country. we can't fight alone so we have to join forces then we can win the battle. but. a yellow vest demonstration in southern france peaceful and with an almost street party like atmosphere this. city fernandez helps to organize the event in the town of you. know not that it's just walking around who. see where we end up. not congress i

now much call resign now come on we only seem a clue a big thank you for inspiring solidarity among us. a fair tax system is one of the yellow vests pivotal demands. on them but we're not asking for four thousand euros a month but we do want a minimum we want to live to not just work to pay the bills. on time they should make compromises. but we do that every day but now we've had enough. with their banners also call for referenda. once they reach the town hall however for silvie it's primarily about a symbolic message on some of those and why are we on our knees to defend our children who are forced to kneel by the police like common criminals for protesting

we all have a right to protest. the mayor is not available for comment. so if he is a single mother of three daughters the youngest of them just five years old. so he's budget rules out the luxury of a nanny. she's picking up her daughter before taking her to the demonstration. so you ok you want to come along join me to the protest yes. home. support this is not just about us it's about her future too. our children would

have no chance if the government carries on like this. we're fighting for the children to. the end of the month i don't have enough money to feed and clothe my children. we can do without them but their children need new clothes in that regard we're going to be poor. jacqueline moron is a yellow vest pioneer in a video posted online last october she vented her frustration over the planned diesel tax increase and criticized the president. where is france headed missile. certainly not where you promised.

for most of it in i've received huge support. so i decided to continue because people are suffering. the video shot sharply into fame but it came at a price. just this morning i got another threatening letter this is just a copy the police had the original. notes about it says yellow vests cause havoc. are you happy about all this nonsense one day you will pay for this we will take you out. but i'll carry on until the. jeff green leaves and brittany over four hundred kilometers away from paris and she's middle class other people are significantly worse off.

just plain wants the politicians to finally listen to everyone. i don't. have to paris for a meeting with the prime minister. who will be presenting our demands which we decided on just yesterday. no. it's not clear whether we will actually meet the prime minister. but we'll try. due to the series of threats jack clean no longer leaves her house alone she has the support of her partner as a driver and bodyguard he doesn't want to be seen on camera for security reasons or

. yes but i can not today but i won't make it today. will be supposed to have but we're waiting for a meeting with the prime minister nouri to was supposed to have. a clean as her own press spokeswoman secretly give us with it's complicated and overwhelming i get so many messages. from portugal the b.b.c. yesterday from washington it's insane it's too much to handle. it is fantastic that so many journalists want to talk to us grassroots folks. maybe it will change other people's view of life at the bottom of society they feel but. paris where the yellow vest protests escalated. these images went viral where did the readiness for violence come from.

the family and she is a veteran journalist specializing in poverty and social inequality she witnessed the riots firsthand. on this edition the i met yellow vests french people who came to protest i was particularly moved by one man who almost went on a rampage out of desperation physical and i didn't. he saw no other option. a few people including myself tried to stop him and turned to stand his fieri this man demonstrated a profound hopelessness. she goes to places where people face considerable hardship

and have to make a lot of compromises in their daily lives. to shaun's always a on the other hand is one long showcase of wealth. it's no coincidence that this is where the protests escalated. stores have now installed extra protection for their windows in anticipation of further trouble. fabienne is researching her report on the yellow vests the emergence of the movement does not surprise her. this issue did not just emerge in november twenty eighth. there's always been poverty throughout history. but over the last ten years i've been noticing an intensification of poverty with increasing deprivation all with a more especially among people below the poverty line in. music to the middle and

now the middle class are affected as well. and. fabienne will continue her research away from the big cities. after a five hour drive from brittany cleam arrives in paris. she's become a well known and sought after spokeswoman of the yellow vests. with. a number of reporters are waiting for her today's topic is the violence accompanying the protests. is to have those want to feel that this isn't necessary to destroy so much in order

to achieve something. it's a question that needs asking i'm skeptical. jakim in other yellow fest folks persons have gathered outside the national assembly to hold a press conference they want to call for an end to the violence and then. just. like cook i would also like to include corsica they have moderate people there to as they do in the must say region which is likewise seeking a nonviolent solution so thank you yes. the yellow vests have not always enjoyed such direct coverage and attention. and i think you know. also i feel seven years of a sick you know being taken seriously as progress the media didn't do that but now they're listening i'm not close but no we have to get some food otherwise we might kill over we've been up since full or less you know because they moved. the.

film not should come this is not. back in southern france where the protests remained peaceful. today's demonstration in fall is like a funeral procession. in memphis the sooner we protest to show that we're dissatisfied that's why we take to the streets. with come up tony the minute silence is for those people who were yellow vests like us and died because they were protesting on the banks under. the sun this idiot must be one fist. we stop talking to show that we remember them you understand that. there's no music or dancing at this protest the loss of life has left people shocked and dismayed. to sit in the crowd and i've just been told that another yellow vests protester has

been run over by a truck driver that makes me even angrier and mccall still refuses to listen this can't go on. despite the anger and sorrow there's little if any tension between the police and protesters here. they're both civil civil law. the atmosphere is calm and respectful. meanwhile in paris. is waiting for a response from the prime minister. will she be granted a meeting. after lunch she and fellow activists will be holding further interviews they want the media coverage to exert pressure on the government. it's crucial that they get that meeting today. about.

something called. the seafood safe who said it has been crazy day. ah. i'm exhausted to. she's in constant contact with other yellow vest representatives. the view that a third of it met in your not to beat us on the phone with the prime minister's office hopefully will be received with a woman in your autos an airplane you know that. all those pows in a good sense of what is going well would be have gotten an appointment with the prime minister if there hadn't been any volume and it's most likely we would have made it this good about a minute sad and pretty appalling but you need violence in order to be heard the lot of you don't feel so feltham.

the last straw was when the government increased the tax on diesel by six and a half cents per liter. after the protests the decision was suspended for cleaning filling up her car with fuel is still a luxury others say it's chaos. i don't even have time to get a haircut plus i've lost weight five kilos. it's an emotional roller coaster we go all the way there then there's no missing after all will be received and we won't it's emotionally draining will not come in on. a radio discussion about maccollins prospects for the future among the experts is historian and political scientist mark lazhar. he's commenting on the question why

is the population so upset. with. taxes and social levies are extremely high in france on average they cost people over half their gross income the european average is thirty nine percent. thirty seven percent of france's fiscal revenue comes from health pension and social security insurance contributions the o.e.c.d. average is twenty six percent. journalist thirty and sheesh is on her way to see mark was our at the elite paris institute of political studies she's interested in hearing his views on the tense relations between the yellow vests and president mccrone. what's his take on the situation this. government conceded and that's a massive defeat for mccall. he denounced plans for

a series of reforms regardless of any potential opposition. and now he's had to back pedal. that the movement still wasn't satisfied the fact that he will until after the riots gives a certain legitimacy to the violence. this is a major democratic issue. right after taking office my call cut a very dominant figure. as you do. to many people here appear to be completely alienated from their world. someone who incorporated what people hate about the privileged elite this elite. it's now four pm and just plain not our spokeswoman for the yellow vests is still active after twelve hours. and then when

you go just shut up and see if they'll let us in. the prime minister's office is having an emergency meeting claim is put off once again. you these people funnels they came they concious right now we said we've come from all over france and we're not intending to come back tomorrow but. agreeing to receive us would be a sign of openness we'll see. the balls in their court it's now their turn to do something to calm down the situation during. the waiting continues. clean answers journalist questions until late in the evening she's become a professional p.r. expert and tries to answer everyone's questions until even she has to call it a day. that's enough this week it's the pressure over. it's not actually the pressure. i don't know what it is.

see you it's difficult. to be sure. sometimes it feels like you're talking to a brick wall that we don't need and that's home not you. finally a sign of hope the prime minister has agreed to see jacqueline behind closed doors . security is tight.

outside the tension mounts the national and international media are reporting live . will the government finally take the gavel vests demand seriously. an hour and a half later the activists emerge. will not face to say kill no yes i think we've got to deal with the real person not the politician. that none of us know the prime minister showed his human side. because. we've we've listened and understood. even if he make no concrete promises many yellow vests will be disappointed but not just clean. that they could today show that ordinary citizens can

actually secure a meeting with the prime minister but thanks to this movement. now we'll have to wait and see that. we did our job and explained our demands to the prime minister. economy that is extraordinary now missing a clue has to do his job. it's very late at night by the time shop clean their car sets off for home with renewed hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. in the south west of the country far away from the capital the mood is still calm that's despite the rural population feeling particularly neglected by the paris elite journalist fabienne sheesh travel to fly from paris to see sylvie fernando. they meet at the roundabout that the yellow vests have occupied all weekend she asked about the current situation and how do you do i'm happy n.

i'm a journalist specialized in social injustice. we're here every weekend from morning till night. people here speak openly about their financial woes they're concerned about how little money they have left at the end of the year. with insurance as up to one thousand two hundred fifty six year or so we got this in september and now have three months to pave retroactively this is new this. hour you're supposed to find five hundred euros a month when you only make fourteen hundred. pension contributions were raised at the start of two thousand and eighteen on government orders. used to be embarrassed about not managing her budget well until the movement began. today she talks

frankly about what she earns. you make one thousand three hundred euros one thousand three hundred eighty five euro plus child benefit. notice that one thousand seven hundred eighty years and with an average income at how high your rent and utility bills. what i rent is six hundred ninety five euros and i pay two hundred forty five euros a month for electricity. and after all expenses how much is left to live on. nothing. just. don't have any sauce and then you need fewer children without a car you can't get around in this area right. right we need the car we live in a small town and there's no mainline train. you get to go on vacation. because you're not really we can't afford it anymore. the.

city takes five b.n. to another roundabout. there are a lot of pensioners in the yellow vast movement when it comes to solidarity here there's no age limit. people are happy that they're finally being heard the complaints about government policy are the same down here decreasing purchasing power and a president out of touch with the people. suddenly everyone's on the move the activists run up onto the major road in order to trigger the traffic cameras which will then close the tunnel. this is not going to connect if the tunnel is open it means people will drive through it and not past our roundabout we're here to be seen so the tunnel has to

stay closed. and it works access to one side of the tunnel is blocked forcing drivers to pass by the roundabout. jedinak say appreciate people honking their horns for us everyone supports us in their own way some people are here on the ground some can't do that but they still support us to. here in the south it's that solidarity that keeps the yellow vests again. and i don't go thinking that there is only. good people who. i've been stigmatized for too long. this year of this movement includes something unprecedented the poorest and a major section of the middle class addressing the privileged and those in power demanding social equality. sylvia companies fabienne back to the railway station where she wishes her

a safe journey back to paris. meanwhile in brittany clean walks over to a small bar. she's concerned about the movement's future if it has one. hundred. guests are also talking about the riots in paris. cleanest considering setting up a new party rather than continue protesting with the yellow vests. i fear that if the movement continues it will become more violent i know people have been desecration public money once again. and so ideally the movement would get itself a profit structure it's the only way otherwise it will fail obviously. later we find out that she has since gone ahead and launched her own party its program

includes ways to alter the distribution of wealth. down south and. is on her way home to her children in france single parents are the most at risk group of falling into poverty. without the help of her two oldest daughters it would be impossible for sylvie to dedicate so much time to the movement. of girls who. just want to prove to you i hope my children won't have to toil away as much as we do right now because if things continue they won't stand a chance. never. despite working and protesting so if he tries to at least ensure that the family can have dinner together there's not much time left for them to talk about how the day went to

settle problems or left or argue with each other. i. think it's brave what she's doing. even though the yellow vests can sometimes be annoying. but we know they're doing it for us to. walk all of that we don't see a much these days of every morning she comes home late from work even later since the yellow vests thing started upon and we don't syria the weekends either school was kind of voted you know i understand what they're saying and gone quite a lot i set off early every morning and come home late i don't have a choice so we can't give up this fight on. the yellow vests will continue their struggle and the government is no longer able to ignore that.

i'm not going to do that well i guess sometimes i am but i found nothing when it happened the german think steven's or german culture of looking at the stereotypes aquatics put in here think the future of the country that i now live full time. you did see him taking his grandmother down the leak it's all that ok no i'm rachel join me for me for german sunday w. . post. i was issued when i arrived here i slept with six people in a room for the ninth and. it was hard i was for. i even got white hair. in the german language head nodding off this gets me and they go but you need to

interrupt let's say you want to do their story. it's worth fighting and reliable information for margaret. player. this is d w news law from burlesque the standoff in venezuela. in an interview with g w opposition leader juan why those calls on the military to allow humanitarian aid into the country otherwise he says as many as three hundred thousand people could die like nicolas my little says he will but. also coming up in the docks the trial opens in madrid for twelve.